Blockchain, for all its discourse, is still perceived by many as merely the underlying technology that enables the existence of cryptocurrency. Since its inception, industry professionals and corporations large and small have been working hard to incorporate blockchain into their operations to bolster their businesses. 2022, in particular, was a breakthrough year in blockchain adoption in finance - numerous central banks and hundred-year-old banks are, for the first time, developing and using el...
Feb 02, 2023•24 min•Ep. 29
FTX, one of the largest crypto exchanges in the world, stunningly collapsed and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, sending shockwaves throughout an already-reeling industry. Host Jizzles caught up with Lesia Marchenko (Vice President of JKL Capital) and Ian Lam (Founder of trading firm Satori Research), who shared their takeaways on the FTX debacle and the subsequent ripple effects and contagion still felt across the industry to this day, as well as some of the key lessons learnt from the incident...
Jan 09, 2023•24 min•Ep. 28
Were you thinking of how to appropriately allocate digital assets to your portfolio and manage the risks associate with this asset class? Well, we've got a great one for you! In our latest episode, host Jason Li caught up with Aleksey Mironenko , Global Head of Investment Solutions at Leo Wealth, a boutique wealth management firm with offices in Asia and the United States. An avid rower and runner in his free time, Aleksey defines what a "well constructed" and "cost efficient" portfolio is, and ...
Dec 01, 2022•28 min•Ep. 27
In this episode, our new host Jason Li caught up with Kunal Kanodia , Senior Director (Product Strategist) at HashKey. A quintessential "TradFi guy", Kunal is an avid Bitcoin enthusiast who brings nearly two decades of experience in finance and trading. He breaks down the intersection between traditional finance and digital assets, particularly the key differences and similarities of crypto products and those that are in the TradFi space. This episode also features the debut of Crypto Savvy's ne...
Oct 27, 2022•24 min•Ep. 26
In October last year, finance veteran Evan Auyang joined Animoca Brands as its Group President. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Animoca Brands is best known as the company behind some of the most popular blockchain games such as The Sandbox, Crazy Defense Heroes and REVV Racing, and a prominent investor in the space. Since joining Animoca, Evan has been the major driver behind its fundraising and investment efforts. In this episode, Evan speaks about the contributions and impact to society Animoca h...
Mar 14, 2022•29 min•Ep. 25
Henri Centieiro is the Senior Research Manager at HashKey Capital, HashKey Group’s venture capital and asset management arm. A blockchain enthusiast and aficionado, Henri is a regular speaker at international blockchain conferences, Hong Kong universities and local FinTech and finance associations. In this episode, we asked Henri to give us a briefer on all things blockchain, including the differences between a permissioned and permissionless blockchain, common misconceptions of how transactions...
Feb 28, 2022•31 min•Ep. 24
In January 2022, the Bank of International Settlements Innovation Hub revealed its work program for 2022-2023, which will see the Hub expand its presence into the realms of DeFi, RegTech and cybersecurity, in addition to their existing CBDC and green finance initiatives. Bénédicte Nolens heads up the BIS Innovation Hub’s Hong Kong Centre, which is on a mission to develop innovative solutions that benefit the current financial system. Previously the Managing Director of Standard Chartered Bank’s ...
Feb 21, 2022•26 min•Ep. 23
Whenever crypto firms and institutions want to borrow money, they often find it challenging to take out a loan from traditional lenders such as banks; and when they turn to DeFi, these protocols’ over-collateralisation requirements often eat into the borrowers’ ability to efficiently use their capital. Because of this, Clearpool, founded in 2021, came up with a solution, where institutional borrowers can access unsecured loans directly from their ecosystem. Listen to how its CEO and Co-Founder, ...
Feb 14, 2022•24 min•Ep. 22
Digital asset custody is in many ways similar to the custody of traditional financial assets. Investors need to know their digital assets are safe, yet the nature of these assets means that secure custody potentially poses more challenges. As the market continues to mature and more institutions get in the game, these holders will naturally expect custodians to manage their assets just as they expect banks to manage their traditional financial assets. In this episode we spoke with Alessio Quaglin...
Feb 07, 2022•21 min•Ep. 21
Founded in 1903, the South China Morning Post has been Hong Kong’s newspaper of record for decades. Under the baton of the SCMP ’s current CEO Gary Liu, who joined in 2017, the publication transitioned from a print-focused media to a digital-first online newsroom. This digital transformation was further elevated when the Post became the first new organisation in Asia to champion a new blockchain standard. The standard, called ARTIFACT, uses NFT technology to give anyone a chance to own and trade...
Jan 24, 2022•28 min•Ep. 20
NFTs were the hottest thing in crypto in 2021, and its craze sees no signs of stopping in 2022. With the sheer number of NFT items and collectibles currently available on the marketplace, how do we differentiate between a good and a bad NFT project? What are some indicators to evaluate projects before making any sort of investments? In this episode we caught up with Subvert.eth, the Community Lead of the new NFT project, Delirious Minds Travelers (DMT). DMT made headlines in Hong Kong earlier th...
Jan 17, 2022•31 min•Ep. 19
The world of decentralised finance (DeFi) may be new and intimidating to some, yet it offers numerous opportunities for crypto holders to earn passive income on different DeFi protocols and get the most out of their holdings. In this episode we caught up with John Patrick Mullin, Co-Founder of DeFi savings and lending platform MANTRA DAO, as he explains the most common methods such as staking, lending and yield farming etc. We also explore the concept of “Decentralised Autonomous Organisation”, ...
Jan 10, 2022•33 min•Ep. 18
Back in January 2021, HashKey Group’s very own Michel Lee called that 2021 will be the “tipping point for institutional adoption in digital assets”. One year later, how has Michel’s prediction panned out? In this episode, we caught up with our Executive President to revisit this. Originally trained as a computer scientist and started his career as a Quant, Michel also shares his journey from traditional finance to crypto, HashKey’s core businesses, capital investments and upcoming roadmap, as we...
Jan 04, 2022•26 min•Ep. 17
Whether you’re an investor or a project team member, to excel in the crypto game, you have to know crypto law. What are the listing criteria for a security token offering (STO)? How should I legally approach a token sale? What does it mean to be “regulated”? In this episode, we caught up with two experienced lawyers, Machiuanna Chu and Anna Liu, to answer some of the most burning questions you need to know. Machiuanna Chu is a Partner at law firm Deacons who specialises in cross-border M&As ...
Dec 21, 2021•36 min•Ep. 16
Lucy Gazmararian’s venture into crypto is unlike no other. After spending years in investment banking and private wealth management in London and Hong Kong, she joined PwC’s crypto team during the tail end of the ICO boom, and had to advise traditional financial institutions during a time when the word “crypto” essentially meant “scam” in the eyes of many. In early 2021, she decided to strike out on her own and founded Token Bay Capital, an early-stage venture fund for digital assets. Her first ...
Dec 14, 2021•35 min•Ep. 15
Despite people being well aware of the prevalence of unlawful behaviours in the crypto space, the sheer number of frauds and scams is seeing no sign of slowing down. Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) is a global law firm that has developed a unique approach using blockchain technology and data analytics to pre-empt and investigate crypto fraud. We sat down with Henry Chambers and Jay Kim from A&M to unpack the most common categories of crypto fraud, techniques used to prevent them, and how can ...
Dec 07, 2021•28 min•Ep. 14
Blockchain takes on its own form in the enterprise space, yet most adoption stories and use cases of blockchain we hear are mainly in the retail sector. In this episode, we caught up with Charles d’Haussy, Managing Director APAC of ConsenSys, the company best known for developing the Metamask browser wallet and various Ethereum infrastructure software. Charles breaks down the different types of enterprise blockchains, how companies should properly incorporate blockchain into their business opera...
Nov 30, 2021•38 min•Ep. 13
Cryptocurrency and FinTech are two rapidly changing sectors, and it can be hard to keep abreast with the latest happenings. There’s no better person to ask about trends and development in this market than Jame DiBiasio, the Founder and Editor of leading FinTech and digital asset publication DigFin, which was recently acquired by AMTD Digital. In this episode, he details his journey from crypto apprentice to guru, why blockchain and FinTech matters, how he writes about digital assets as well as o...
Nov 25, 2021•31 min•Ep. 12
As start-up hubs in Asia go, Hong Kong has a strong appeal. Despite economic challenges brought by the pandemic, the city’s start-up ecosystem has demonstrated remarkable resilience, and saw the growth of numerous up-and-coming crypto and blockchain companies. In this interview, we chat with Karena Belin, who co-founded the first regulated tech investment platform in Hong Kong. Karena talks about her ongoing mission to help start-ups, the start-up scene in Hong Kong, and how she hosted a crowdfu...
Nov 23, 2021•34 min•Ep. 11
Hong Kong is one of the world’s leading hubs when it comes to FinTech innovation and opportunities, and a major driver of the city’s Fintech initiatives is InvestHK, the department under the Hong Kong Government responsible for attracting foreign direct investment. On the backdrop of Hong Kong FinTech Week 2021, we caught up with King Leung, Head of FinTech at InvestHK, as he details InvestHK’s mission to foster a vibrant FinTech ecosystem and community in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. An ...
Nov 18, 2021•27 min•Ep. 10
In 2019, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) granted 8 virtual banking licenses in what was considered a monumental moment for Hong Kong’s colossal banking industry. Among the licensees was ZA Bank, which would officially launch its services in March 2020 as the city’s first fully-operating virtual bank. In this episode, we caught up with Rockson Hsu, ZA Bank’s CEO, as he shares the “Genesis Story” of how ZA Bank came to be, how virtual banks bolster innovation and financial inclusion, and t...
Nov 16, 2021•37 min•Ep. 9
Understanding blockchain, the underlying technology backing Bitcoin, Ether and other crypto, is a no-brainer to becoming crypto savvy. But blockchain is so much more than just cryptocurrencies -- its use cases are endless and has the potential to not only transform the enterprise market but also trigger a global infrastructural upgrade. In this episode, Anndy Lian, global thought leader and author of the best-selling book Blockchain Revolution 2030, deciphers all things blockchain. We also explo...
Nov 11, 2021•32 min•Ep. 8
Crypto is ushering a global digital revolution, and industries have had to keep up, including traditional banking. As Director of Innovation for HSBC's Wealth and Personal Banking Business in Asia, Peter Dingle is on a mission to help HSBC become not only a digital bank, but a digital-first bank. In this episode, he talks about the need for banks to set their sights on digital growth, and push for the democratisation of wealth products accessible to all socio-economic groups. Before joining HSBC...
Nov 11, 2021•29 min•Ep. 7
For the fifth year running, FINNOVASIA is the officially appointed organiser by the Hong Kong government of Hong Kong FinTech Week, the flagship industry event in Asia with over 40,000 attendees, 10,000 world-class speakers from more than 130 countries. In this episode, we speak to the leader and visionary behind HKFTW, Anthony Sar, as he shares the highlights and challenges of putting together this massive event, and why competition is crucial for FinTech innovation in Hong Kong. Anthony Sar is...
Nov 10, 2021•30 min•Ep. 6
The crypto landscape has seen some major developments over the years. From 2017’s ICO boom to crypto licensing regimes to the wave of institutional interest, Benjamin Quinlan, one of Asia’s leading FinTech thought leaders, unpacks the watershed moments that have shaped this industry and what else looms on the horizon. Benjamin Quinlan is the CEO and Managing Partner of independent strategy consulting firm Quinlan & Associates. He is also the Chairman of the FinTech Association of Hong Kong (...
Nov 09, 2021•30 min•Ep. 5
[LIVE FROM HONG KONG FINTECH WEEK 2021] NFTs have taken the crypto space by storm this year, and the traditional art market is feeling the ripple effects of “NFT mania”. In this episode, we caught up with Alexandra Yung and Frank Smits, who break down what gives an NFT its true value, how traditional art galleries and auction houses are reacting to the NFT market, and how artists can get their artwork noticed within the wider art collection community. Alexandra Yung is the Managing Director at M...
Nov 05, 2021•37 min•Ep. 4
[LIVE FROM HONG KONG FINTECH WEEK 2021] How do you go from artwork to NFT? What does the process of tokenising your asset look like? In this episode, we peel back the curtains on the behind-the-scenes process and steps of the creation of a token, and how token generation machines like TOKO, co-engineered by DLA Piper and BCW Group, are providing asset owners an easier gateway to make their illiquid assets tradeable in ways that are normally not feasible under existing technology and regulations....
Nov 04, 2021•40 min•Ep. 3
Cryptocurrencies have come a long way since Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin Whitepaper. Over the past year, we’ve seen multinational institutions “crossing the chasm” to fully embrace and support the development of the space, and one of the most prominent corporate voices is “Big Four” accounting firm PwC. In this episode, we catch up with PwC’s Crypto Leader and social media influencer Henri Arslanian, who explains the rising institutional demand in digital assets, the crypto services PwC offers, an...
Oct 31, 2021•34 min•Ep. 2
Cryptocurrency can be a daunting concept for the uninitiated. How does Bitcoin actually work? Where does it get its value? What’s the safest way to buy and trade it? These are just some of the common questions beginners are most eager to know about this space. To kick off the Crypto Savvy podcast, we talk to Angelina Kwan, a former regulator and Senior Advisor to the Board at HashKey Group, to break down the fundamentals of digital assets and cryptocurrencies. We also discuss why regulating cryp...
Oct 31, 2021•30 min•Ep. 1
Crypto Savvy: The Essentials brought to you by HashKey. Coming soon on 1st November 2021 --- A Create Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 20, 2021•40 sec
